California stares down extreme heat to start September, Labor Day weekend
SACRAMENTO – California is facing a prolonged late-summer heat wave this week, with widespread triple-digit temperatures starting in the south and spreading northward, the National Weather Service said Monday.
Triple-digit temperatures are expected to return by mid-week for the Central Valley, forecasters say.
The extended heat is expected to continue through Labor Day weekend.
Little to no overnight relief is expected, with lows only expected to get to the upper 60s and even upper 70s in some areas.
Excessive heat watches will also go into effect Wednesday morning and remain in effect through Sunday evening in a large swath of Southern California, including much of the normally temperate coastline, forecasters said.
Temperatures were predicted to top 100 degrees (37.7 Celsius) in many valley and mountain locations.
"This heat may be record breaking and will likely produce a very high heat illness risk," the Los Angeles-area weather office wrote.
The torrid conditions will be caused by high pressure that was already pushing into the state and making it difficult for onshore flow of marine air.
"These trends are forecast to continue and will likely set up (a) prolonged and likely dangerous heat event," the office said.
